


The Veracity of If..., Then... Statements

by skullcandy11



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Pre-Hogwarts, Writing Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-07
Updated: 2018-09-07
Packaged: 2019-07-08 04:28:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 445
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15922862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skullcandy11/pseuds/skullcandy11
Summary: Writing Prompt: Write a New Year’s Resolution most rational characters would consider a negative life changeCross posted on FF





	The Veracity of If..., Then... Statements

It was New Year's Eve and Harry had just been shoved into the cupboard so that the celebrations could begin. His right side hurt because Uncle Vernon slammed him into the door of his cupboard before he was chucked inside. His wrist hurt because Uncle Vernon broke it when he got a better grade than Dudley in writing class. Uncle Vernon's reasoning was that, if his wrist was broken, then he would not be able to write better than Dudley. Apparently no one told him that Harry got a better grade than Dudley because of what story he wrote for the teacher, not how well he wrote it. 

He could faintly hear the telly in the other room as they announced the ten second mark before the new year, and as Vernon started yelling down the numbers, Harry thought of something one of his teachers told the class before they were let go for break. She told them that when they got back, she wanted them to write her five sentences on a New Year's resolution they decided to do, and how they would do it. Harry had just planned to make something up when he got back to school, but as he huddled in the corner of the cupboard with his mattress and blanket laying on top of him in hope of conserving some warmth, he thought about how he might not have been hurt as bad if he had gotten a better grade than Dudley. 

It was in that moment that Harry resolved to do worse than Dudley. Maybe, if his cousin did better than him, then Uncle Vernon would have one less reason to hurt him.

Harry didn't understand that Vernon hurt him purely because he could. He didn't understand that Vernon was afraid of magic, and that Harry was all that represented magic, so therefore he should be afraid of Harry. And what better way was there to not be afraid of something, than by overcoming it. Destroying it, even. Harry didn't understand that, because Vernon wanted to overcome his fear, he would always find reasons to hurt him. 

5...

All Harry understood at that moment, was that he learned that if you did something wrong, then you change what you do. 

4...

If you don't finish your chores, then you don't get food; therefore, finish your chores and you might get food. 

3...

If you burn the bacon, then you get a slap and a kick; therefore, don't burn the bacon. 

2...

If you do better than Dudley in school, then you get hurt; therefore if you do worse than Dudley in school, then you might not get hurt.

1...


End file.
